Vitamin D and Covid

[Joes Place]

Per this article: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-d-deficiency-symptoms#_noHeaderPrefixedContent

According to one review, 41.6% of adults in the United States are deficient. This number goes up to 69.2% in Hispanic adults and 82.1% in African American adults.

So, what I had posted: "most" are not deficient, is entirely correct.

AND, the AMOUNT of the deficiency is likewise relevant, because that is not a sufficient factor for severe Covid disease. It is certainly ONE factor, and a (generally) easily addressed one.

Which is why doctors have been using supplements for cases for over a year now. Like, more than 500,000 US deaths ago. So, clearly, it's not the panacea the OP was attempting to claim along with his "Newsmax" Op Ed.

 

[Joes Place]

Not sure what the current #s are, but perhaps Joe can link to a source that shows the current or a more recent stats that he is going off. Even if he accepted the #s from the article I provided, he was technically correct with most adults not being vitamin D deficient since it has 41.6 % being deficient. Seems to me that is still a pretty large percentage than what I am assuming he was saying although he didn't provide an exact #, it seems to me his language that that it was 25% or less that were Vitamin D deficient.

If EVERY severe case were in Vitamin D deficient people, this would be a clearer issue.

But that is simply not the case. It is a contributing risk factor, like obesity, but it is not a sufficient condition for severe disease or death. There are plenty of people who do not have a D deficiency who are ending up hospitalized, intubated or dead from this.

Now, if you think you're D deficient, you should probably get a "wellness" visit with your PCP and find out, because it certainly makes sense to supplement your diet IF you need it.

 

[hawkosx]

Per this article: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-d-deficiency-symptoms#_noHeaderPrefixedContent

According to one review, 41.6% of adults in the United States are deficient. This number goes up to 69.2% in Hispanic adults and 82.1% in African American adults.

And that review cited was 10 years old. The widespread deficiency will continue to grow because of our modern lifestyles.

But yet, we are told not to “screen” for deficiency. My estimation of deficiency rate as mentioned is much higher even. I’ve never met an Asian person with normal levels as defined by greater than 30 btw. Yes, Never!

 

[West Duval Nole]

But yet, we are told not to “screen” for deficiency. My estimation of deficiency rate as mentioned is much higher even. I’ve never met an Asian person with normal levels as defined by greater than 30 btw. Yes, Never!

Easy problem to resolve. Add enough Vitamin D to rice. Damn man that means I am probably Vitamin D deficient. Well I am half Asian. You get any half Asians that aren't Vitamin D deficient?

 

[Joes Place]

But yet, we are told not to “screen” for deficiency.

Really? Where's that come from?

Because Fauci (I believe) was pointing this out and pushing for it over a year ago.

 

[MepoDawg#]

No idea, but it has been one of the known risk-factors for quite a while now.

A few studies suggest 80%.

 

[Joes Place]

A few studies suggest 80%.

One small study. From well over 1 year ago.

Here's what 2021 data says:

Low vitamin D levels do not aggravate COVID-19 risk or death, and vitamin D supplementation does not improve outcomes in hospitalized patients with COVID-19: a meta-analysis and GRADE assessment of cohort studies and RCTs - Nutrition Journal

Background The associations between vitamin D and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and clinical outcomes are controversial. The efficacy of vitamin D supplementation in COVID-19 is also not clear. Methods We identified relevant cohort studies that assessed the relationship between...

nutritionj.biomedcentral.com

Background​

The associations between vitamin D and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and clinical outcomes are controversial. The efficacy of vitamin D supplementation in COVID-19 is also not clear.

Methods​

We identified relevant cohort studies that assessed the relationship between vitamin D, COVID-19 infection and associated death and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that reported vitamin D supplementation on the outcomes in patients with COVID-19 by searching the PubMed, EMBASE, and medRxiv databases up to June 5th, 2021. Evidence quality levels and recommendations were assessed using the GRADE system.

Results​

Eleven cohort studies with 536,105 patients and two RCTs were identified. Vitamin D deficiency (< 20 ng/ml) or insufficiency (< 30 ng/ml) was not associated with an significant increased risk of COVID-19 infection (OR for < 20 ng/ml: 1.61, 95% CI: 0.92–2.80, I2 = 92%) or in-hospital death (OR for < 20 ng/ml: 2.18, 95% CI: 0.91–5.26, I2 = 72%; OR for < 30 ng/ml: 3.07, 95% CI: 0.64–14.78, I2 = 66%). Each 10 ng/ml increase in serum vitamin D was not associated with a significant decreased risk of COVID-19 infection (OR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.79–1.08, I2 = 98%) or death (OR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.40–1.06, I2 = 79%). The overall quality of evidence (GRADE) for COVID-19 infection and associated death was very low. Vitamin D supplements did not significantly decrease death (OR: 0.57, I2 = 64%) or ICU admission (OR: 0.14, I2 = 90%) in patients with COVID-19. The level of evidence as qualified using GRADE was low.

Conclusions​

Current evidence suggested that vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency was not significantly linked to susceptibility to COVID-19 infection or its associated death. Vitamin D supplements did not significantly improve clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19. The overall GRADE evidence quality was low, we suggest that vitamin D supplementation was not recommended for patients with COVID-19.

 

[hawkosx]

Easy problem to resolve. Add enough Vitamin D to rice. Damn man that means I am probably Vitamin D deficient. Well I am half Asian. You get any half Asians that aren't Vitamin D deficient?

Good question, lol. Probably depends on how much dairy you consume, sun light, etc.

 

[hawkosx]

Just not the standard of practice yet to test everyone, at least not yet. There’s multiple links out there but you don’t have to look beyond jwolf’s post after mine. Insurances will also not reimburse unless you provide a diagnosis of deficiency ( paradox there isn’t there?)

as for the studies, apparently there’s no clear cut answer and the correlation is likely not as simple as an absolute level needed just like everything else in medicine as you know. My point is just simply: if less than 30 is too low, then it is extremely common, more like the norm, in fact, and I’m just trying to do my part to get everyone’s level higher. No harm no foul.

 

[lucas80]

The graph IM used was data from the World Health Organization. Is that a good enough source for ya?

Not really, no. You cherry pick stuff left and right, Coff. If you at least kept to one narrative that would be tolerable.

 

[Joes Place]

Post #127 is like the Anti-vaxxers/MAGAs "Third Rail" here.

Nobody wants to touch it.

 

[hawkosx]

Post #127 is like the Anti-vaxxers/MAGAs "Third Rail" here.

Nobody wants to touch it.

Actually I was trying to reply to your two posts above but forgot to include your two quotes. Like I said, I don’t post much lol.

 

[lucas80]

Or, if you haven’t figured it out, this virus is seasonal and there really is nothing that mitigation tactics are going to do to stop it.

I mean South Korea is highly vaccinated, have been very strict with mitigation policies and had a record amount of cases today. Your narrative has been wrong this entire time but because of Team Blue politics you continue to live in an alternate universe.

View embedded media

Oh, South Korea relaxed a lot of protocols 3-4 weeks ago. That explains the cherry picked spike you referenced.

 

[Pete in LA]

I've been taking Vitamin D, C, Zinc and Green Tea Extract or Macha Tea from the outbreak of Covid. Does it prevent infection? Not sure and don't really care if it does. It sure as heck doesn't hurt. I am vaxed but got it late just because I'm not in a super high risk group and it's LA which has it's own issues.

My main issue is that my confidence in the Pharma and medical industry has been shaken to it's core. I had great faith in the medical establishment before this "Pandemic" It has been so politicized and compromised I'm not really sure how they climb back to credibility. The nail in the coffin was definitely the gaslighting and politicization of HCQ during Trump. More specifically the retraction of articles and research by the "Lancet" and the "New England Journal of Medicine" which scrubbed previous articles, research and discussion about HCQ along with supplements as a prophylactic or mitigation regimen for Sars/Covid back in 2005. Along with bogus articles about heart complications with using these drugs it was clearly politically motivated. Interesting that after the big headlines and intended effect these articles were redacted and scrubbed. Even from an anecdotal perspective I've had extensive experience with antimalarial drugs because I've been in so many sh$%hole countries and have found these long used and studied drugs to be anything but dangerous.

Sorry, there are so many things about this "Pandemic" that don't pass the smell test that I've basically given up trying to understand what might or might not be correct information. I'm vaxed, take vitamins and zinc, wear a mask because the idiots in LA require it but I'm pretty much done with getting more boosters and definitely not down with going to restaurants or venues that require a yellow star on my shoulder for entry permission.

 

[hawkland14]

I've been taking Vitamin D, C, Zinc and Green Tea Extract or Macha Tea from the outbreak of Covid. Does it prevent infection? Not sure and don't really care if it does. It sure as heck doesn't hurt. I am vaxed but got it late just because I'm not in a super high risk group and it's LA which has it's own issues.

My main issue is that my confidence in the Pharma and medical industry has been shaken to it's core. I had great faith in the medical establishment before this "Pandemic" It has been so politicized and compromised I'm not really sure how they climb back to credibility. The nail in the coffin was definitely the gaslighting and politicization of HCQ during Trump. More specifically the retraction of articles and research by the "Lancet" and the "New England Journal of Medicine" which scrubbed previous articles, research and discussion about HCQ along with supplements as a prophylactic or mitigation regimen for Sars/Covid back in 2005. Along with bogus articles about heart complications with using these drugs it was clearly politically motivated. Interesting that after the big headlines and intended effect these articles were redacted and scrubbed. Even from an anecdotal perspective I've had extensive experience with antimalarial drugs because I've been in so many sh$%hole countries and have found these long used and studied drugs to be anything but dangerous.

Sorry, there are so many things about this "Pandemic" that don't pass the smell test that I've basically given up trying to understand what might or might not be correct information. I'm vaxed, take vitamins and zinc, wear a mask because the idiots in LA require it but I'm pretty much done with getting more boosters and definitely not down with going to restaurants or venues that require a yellow star on my shoulder for entry permission.

Waiting in Joe to call you a tinfoil hat dude in 3…2…1…

 

[hawkland14]

Oh, South Korea relaxed a lot of protocols 3-4 weeks ago. That explains the cherry picked spike you referenced.

Lol. That must be it Lucas.

 

[Joes Place]

Oh, South Korea relaxed a lot of protocols 3-4 weeks ago. That explains the cherry picked spike you referenced.

Huh....they only had to "wait ~2 weeks".

Amazeballs.

 

[Joes Place]

Even from an anecdotal perspective I've had extensive experience with antimalarial drugs because I've been in so many sh$%hole countries and have found these long used and studied drugs to be anything but dangerous.

Perhaps you could recognize that the DOSES that were used for Covid in vitro to produce an effect were much higher than the doses used for parasites, and that higher dose levels of a drug used off-label JUST MIGHT cause additional safety concerns and health problems.

Your post seems littered with generalities about "why you don't trust Big Pharma" or "journals". Seems much more politically motivated than science motivated IMO.

 

[BubsFinn]

Did the government ever say that most people in the hospital with Covid were overweight and this should be a wake up call?

No, because Pfizer doesn’t sell a pill for obesity.

 

[shank hawk]

Post #127 is like the Anti-vaxxers/MAGAs "Third Rail" here.

Nobody wants to touch it.

You did it Joe; you cracked the code!!

Just a few minor criticisms. After whittling down from 643, the authors were left with only two RCT’s of the thirteen studies that made the final grade. And as you’ve informed us many times, if it ain’t an RCT it ain’t shit.

So let’s look at those two. The Castillo study showed positive results: (vit D) significantly reduced the need for ICU treatment of patients requiring hospitalization due to proven COVID-19.

And here’s what our friends at JAMA had to say about the second RCT (Murai et al):

First, the study was underpowered. The authors state that the number of participants was chosen on the basis of feasibility, and that with 208 participants they would have 80% power to detect a 50% difference in hospital length of stay, which is a highly improbable result. Second, the authors excluded patients who required invasive mechanical ventilation and those admitted to the intensive care unit, and less than 15% of patients required noninvasive ventilation. Accordingly, most of the patient population would be considered moderately ill and the results cannot be generalized to critically ill patients, who were excluded. This is important because the benefit of other anti-inflammatory therapies among patients with COVID-19 (eg, dexamethasone, tocilizumab) is highly dependent on severity of illness, with moderately ill patients receiving little or no benefit and severely ill patients receiving a substantial benefit.13-15 Third, only 115 study participants (48.3%) had vitamin D deficiency (25[OH]D <20 ng/mL), and only about one-fourth of the patients had severe vitamin D deficiency (25[OH]D <12 ng/mL) (based on Figure 3 in the article12). Fourth, although the authors demonstrated that circulating levels of 25(OH)D increased in the patients who received vitamin D3, they did not measure circulating levels of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, the active form of vitamin D. Accordingly, it is unclear whether patients were able to efficiently convert 25(OH)D to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, because this conversion is inhibited by the osteocyte-derived hormone fibroblast growth factor 23, which is elevated in acutely ill patients.16

When this clinical trial is taken is isolation, the findings may appear ambiguous; that is, the findings do not exclude clinically important benefit (or harm) from high-dose vitamin D3 administration in hospitalized patients with moderate to severe COVID-19. In addition, this study did not address the use of vitamin D for patients with mild (outpatient) COVID-19 who are early in their symptom course or for use as prophylaxis against COVID-19. Therapeutic agents, such as monoclonal antibodies, also have demonstrated divergent results across settings.17,18 Clinicaltrials.gov lists at least 30 studies of vitamin D interventions in COVID-19, globally and across the spectrum of disease. Based on experience in the pandemic, it seems likely that many of these studies will be underpowered or will not achieve target enrollment.

Given the lack of highly effective therapies against COVID-19, except perhaps for corticosteroids,* it is important to remain open-minded to emerging results from rigorously conducted studies of vitamin D (despite smaller sample sizes and important limitations of some studies).

*is there a certain synergy between dexamethasone and an unnamed vitamin/hormone that allows the latter to be better utilized by the immune system?

 

[Joes Place]

And as you’ve informed us many times, if it ain’t an RCT it ain’t shit.

No, that's not what I've told you.

RCTs apply for SOME studies, and not explicitly in others. We do not do "automotive crash studies" as RCTs with people. No matter how many times these things are explained for you, you still don't get them.

 

[Joes Place]

And here’s what our friends at JAMA had to say about the second RCT (Murai et al):

First, the study was underpowered.

This is explicitly WHY people run a Meta-Analysis on smaller works.

 

[shank hawk]

No, that's not what I've told you.

RCTs apply for SOME studies, and not explicitly in others. We do not do "automotive crash studies" as RCTs with people. No matter how many times these things are explained for you, you still don't get them.

LMFAO, you’re a fart in a whirlwind.

Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory tract infections: systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data

Objectives To assess the overall effect of vitamin D supplementation on risk of acute respiratory tract infection, and to identify factors modifying this effect. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data (IPD) from randomised controlled trials. Data sources...

www.bmj.com

Vitamin D and Respiratory Tract Infections: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Low levels of 25-OH vitamin D are associated with respiratory tract infection (RTI). However, results from randomized controlled trials are inconclusive. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the preventive effect of ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://ascpt.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cts.13044

 

[Nat Algren]

 

[Nat Algren]

 

[Nat Algren]

 

[Joes Place]

LMFAO

Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory tract infections: systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data

Objectives To assess the overall effect of vitamin D supplementation on risk of acute respiratory tract infection, and to identify factors modifying this effect. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data (IPD) from randomised controlled trials. Data sources...

www.bmj.com

Vitamin D and Respiratory Tract Infections: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Low levels of 25-OH vitamin D are associated with respiratory tract infection (RTI). However, results from randomized controlled trials are inconclusive. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the preventive effect of ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://ascpt.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cts.13044

So, you found links that "Vitamin D works on some stuff"

Kewl; but it does not appear to have much effect on Covid AT ALL.

 

[shank hawk]

The Coronavirus Attacks Fat Tissue, Scientists Find (Published 2021)

The research may help explain why people who are overweight and obese have been at higher risk of severe illness and death from Covid.

www.nytimes.com

 

[hawkosx]

Can’t read it, no account. Can’t handle anymore junk mail if I create an account.

The Coronavirus Attacks Fat Tissue, Scientists Find (Published 2021)

The research may help explain why people who are overweight and obese have been at higher risk of severe illness and death from Covid.

www.nytimes.com

What does it say basically?

 

[Joes Place]

Can’t read it, no account. Can’t handle anymore junk mail if I create an account.


What does it say basically?

Nothing about Vitamin D, apparently.

 

[Joes Place]

Can’t read it, no account. Can’t handle anymore junk mail if I create an account.


What does it say basically?

Study finds COVID attacks fat cells, may indicate obese patients at greater risk of long COVID

New study finds that COVID may infect fat cells directly, which may have long-term implications for overweight patients.

fortune.com

 

[tarheelbybirth]

Doesn't seem to be much of a controversy here...not sure why there's this level of animus. If a Covid patient is D-deficient, give them Vitamin D. It certainly can't hurt. Giving it to everyone doesn't seem to be warranted based on the studies, so far..

 

[Joes Place]

Meanwhile, America's Frontline Doctors are now shifting gears into the "Keto Diet" and "Magic Weight Loss Pills"

 

[shank hawk]

Nothing about Vitamin D, apparently.

Everything’s connected.

Effect of vitamin D supplementation along with weight loss diet on meta-inflammation and fat mass in obese subjects with vitamin D deficiency: A double-blind placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial - PubMed

Improvement in vitamin D status in obese subjects with vitamin D deficiency in combination with weight loss diet resulted in weight, fat mass and MCP-1 decrease. Weight loss and vitamin D supplementation may act synergistically to reduce levels of meta-inflammation.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[Joes Place]

Everything’s connected.

I see no mention of "Vitamin D" in your Covid article.

 

[shank hawk]

I see no mention of "Vitamin D" in your Covid article.

How sad for you.

 

[Joes Place]

#JustAnotherFattie
👀

 

[shank hawk]

COVID-19 Mortality Risk Correlates Inversely with Vitamin D3 Status, and a Mortality Rate Close to Zero Could Theoretically Be Achieved at 50 ng/mL 25(OH)D3: Results of a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Much research shows that blood calcidiol (25(OH)D3) levels correlate strongly with SARS-CoV-2 infection severity. There is open discussion regarding whether low D3 is caused by the infection or if deficiency negatively affects immune defense. ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[Joes Place]

COVID-19 Mortality Risk Correlates Inversely with Vitamin D3 Status, and a Mortality Rate Close to Zero Could Theoretically Be Achieved at 50 ng/mL 25(OH)D3: Results of a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Much research shows that blood calcidiol (25(OH)D3) levels correlate strongly with SARS-CoV-2 infection severity. There is open discussion regarding whether low D3 is caused by the infection or if deficiency negatively affects immune defense. ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

And how is this "news"?
They've known deficiency correlates with higher risk.

But we still have lots of non-deficient people dying from this.

 

[shank hawk]

And how is this "news"?
They've known deficiency correlates with higher risk.

But we still have lots of non-deficient people dying from this.

Define ‘lots’.

What do you mean by deficient? The study above recommends a level ≥ 50ng/mL instead of 25ng/ml as the recommended baseline.

Have there been postmortem studies done on vitamin D serum levels in covid deaths?